Harmanpreet’s ton powers Indian women to series win over England

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur once again displayed penchant for saving her best for crunch games as India rode on her majestic century to win the high-scoring third women's ODI by 13 runs and clinch the series 2-1.

A splendid 84-ball 102 from skipper Harmanpreet and a brisk fifty from Jemimah Rodrigues fired India Women to a challenging 318 for five, before the bowlers did just enough to bowl out England for 305 in 49.5 overs on Tuesday.

Young seamer Kranti Goud, playing only her fourth WODI, starred with 6/52, while left-arm spinner Shree Charani chipped in with 2/68.

The win capped off a memorable tour for India Women, who also won the five-match T20I series 3-2.

The 36-year-old Indian skipper didn't score too many in the first two games but when it mattered most, she oozed class en route to her seventh ton in the fifty-over format.

The match was also special as she completed 4000 runs in WODIs in her 149th game.

The knock gave India their second highest ODI score against England, but at no stage their highest score of 333/5 against this opponents, recorded in September 2022 in Canterbury, was under threat.

Harmanpreet had scored a century in that game too.

The India skipper played spectacular stokes particularly on the off-side which she peppered with most of her 14 boundaries. A few of them came down the ground and one was hit behind the wicket.

Harmanpreet also stitched vital stands along the way, putting on 81 runs for the third wicket with Harleen Deol (45) to set the platform while her 110-run stand off only 77 balls with Rodrigues gave India the push for a total in excess of 300.

Richa Ghosh then provided the finishing touches with a brisk 38 off 18 balls with three fours and two sixes, marking an all-round show for the visitors who had earlier clinched the five-match T20I series.

The platform, however, was set by a strong opening stand of 64 runs between Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal.

While both the batters were able to play their roles to near-perfection - Mandhana being the aggressor and Rawal being the second fiddle - they could not get to their personal milestones.

Mandhana took the initiative to attack early on and looked in ominous touch until a false shot led to her exit.

The India vice-captain had done well to crack five fours until she reached out to a short and wide ball from Sophie Ecclestone in the 18th over, which she pulled with considerable effort, but straight to Sophia Dunkley at midwicket.

Mandhana made 45 off 54 balls with five fours.

Before that, Rawal's resistance had ended in the 13th over when a faint edge was collected by 'keeper Amy Jones off Charlie Dean, which wasn't heard by the on-field umpire, but was discovered on a review taken by England.

Rawal made 26 off 33 balls with two fours.

Rodrigues looked to be in her rhythm when she cracked three consecutive fours off Dean in the 41st over of the innings and smacked two in a row again in the spinner's next over.

However, she could not push on beyond a 45-ball 50 which included seven fours.

On her part, Deol was also set for a big knock before she was bounced out by seamer Lauren Bell, dismissed for 45 off 65 balls with four boundaries.